Hamilton,
23
May
2018
|
10:00 AM
America/New_York

Media Release: Mohawk Helps Set New Standard for Green Building Innovation

Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation Canada’s First Institutional Building to Receive Zero Carbon Building – Design Certification

Hamilton, ON – Mohawk College has been awarded Zero Carbon Building – Design certification from the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) for the Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation. The Joyce Centre is the second building to receive the certification. The first was a multi-tenant office building in Waterloo, Ontario.

In 2017, the Joyce Centre became one of 16 projects from across Canada to be chosen as a pilot project for CaGBC’s new Zero Carbon Building Standard. New construction projects earn Zero Carbon Building – Design certification by modeling a zero carbon balance, highly efficient envelope and ventilation systems to meet a defined threshold for thermal energy demand intensity, and onsite renewable energy systems capable of providing a minimum of 5% of building energy consumption. Project teams are required to evaluate energy use holistically, including impacts on peak electricity, and determine the GHG emissions associated with structural and envelope materials. Both new and existing buildings can obtain the standard.

“We’re honoured to receive the Zero Carbon Building – Design certification. The Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation will not only be a showcase for green construction but also a living lab that will teach future generations how to build better, more sustainable buildings.”
Mohawk College President Ron McKerlie
“Congratulations to Mohawk College on earning Canada’s second Zero Carbon Building – Design certification for their impressive Joyce Centre for Partnership and Innovation. With this project, Mohawk has proven that they are on the leading edge of innovation going well beyond the status quo. This project shows that these buildings are technically feasible and financially viable, and sets a strong example for students about the low-carbon economy.”
Thomas Mueller, President and CEO of the Canada Green Building Council
“Having founded our firm on the principals of sustainable design in Hamilton, we are thrilled that The Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation at Mohawk College is awarded the Zero Carbon Building –Design Certification in our city. Achieving this standard has been a huge team effort. In addition to generating all of the building energy needs through renewable solar photovoltaic panels, we worked diligently to enhance sustainable features using natural materials, maximizing natural light and views, applying finishes strategically, integrating water conservation measures and green roofs. We believe this facility will serve as inspiration for what can be achieved through a unified team process to integrate innovative design solutions and proven building system technologies to achieve Net Zero energy and zero carbon facilities.”
Joanne McCallum, CEO, mcCallumSather
“The Joyce Centre represents a new archetype for learning environments in Canada that recognize and encourage innovation. It’s not just a lab building. In many ways, it’s also a teaching tool for students, training them to deliver a more sustainable future. Its environment explores the symbiotic relationship between all stakeholders and underscores the importance of a cultural shift in how we interact with our built environment—from unrestricted consumption to personal accountability.”
Lisa Bate, Managing Principal, North America, B+H Architects

Fast Facts

  • The Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation will be home to new and existing programs offered through Mohawk’s School of Engineering Technology.
  • The Centre will house high-tech labs and classrooms specializing in fields such as clean and renewable energy, sustainable design, technology automation, cyber security and materials manufacturing among others.
  • Contributing to the zero carbon certification was Mohawk’s curtain wall technology which offers much better insulation value than typical curtain walls.
  • The Centre also uses no natural gas onsite – the all-electric set up allows for the easiest route to low carbon for most buildings.
  • There will be nearly 500 solar panels mounted to canopies on the roof of the Joyce Centre. Campus-wide the college is installing nearly 2,000 solar panels as part of a clean energy retrofit.
  • Mohawk’s solar panel system will produce 550,000 kilowatts of clean energy per year which is enough to power 45 Canadian homes for one year.
  • The Joyce Centre also features 28 geothermal wells that draw energy from more than 600 feet below the building.
  • Mohawk has been named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the past five consecutive years in recognition of its leadership in environmental sustainability

 

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Media Contact

For more information about Mohawk College and the Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation contact:

Jay Robb,
Director of Communications
Mohawk College
905-575-1212, ext. 3965

For more information about CaGBC’s Zero Carbon Building Standard contact:

Renée Rietveld
CaGBC Media Relations
Phone: 613-288-8075
Cell: 613-894-7772
Email: rrietveld@cagbc.org

About Mohawk

Mohawk College educates and serves more than 29,500 full-time, part-time, apprenticeship and international students at three main campuses in Hamilton, Ontario and learning hubs across Hamilton through City School by Mohawk, and at the College’s Centre for Aviation Technology at the Hamilton International Airport. Mohawk is among the top five colleges for applied research in Canada. It has been named one of Canada’s greenest employers seven years in a row, holds a GOLD STARS rating from AASHE for sustainability achievements and is home to the country’s largest and first institutional building to receive dual certification for Zero Carbon Building Framework design and performance for The Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation. More than 135,000 people have graduated from Mohawk since it was founded.